Biological sciences / 9. Biochemistry and biophysics

                                  O.N. Bliznjuk, A.N. Ogurtsov, N.Yu. Masalitina,

                                           A.S. Savenkov, V.V. Rossikhin

National Technical University "Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute", Kharkiv city

onbliznjuk@ukr.net

PROMOTIVE EFFECT OF CERIUM AND COPPER ON MN-BI MIXED OXIDE CATALYST
FOR AMMONIA OXIDATION TO N2O

Selective catalytic oxidation of ammonia with air at low temperatures is an efficient method to produce N2O as oxidizing agent for organic synthesis. This process has two important parameters: the selectivity and the application temperature. To rationally develop a process for NH3 oxidation to N2O over catalysts, the reaction mechanism must be clarified. While several studies have examined the low temperature oxidation process, the mechanism of NH3 oxidation and N2O formation is still uncertain. Generally use an imide (NH) mechanism in which the first step yields NH, and then the NH reacts with atomic oxygen (O) to form nitroxyl (HNO) and further conversion to N2 or nitrous oxide, or NH could even react with molecular O2 to produce nitric oxide [1].

In the present paper the influence of catalyst composition and some operating variables were evaluated by IR-spectroscopy in terms of N2O formation, using Mn/Bi/Cu/Ce-oxide catalysts.

Some single and multi-oxides used for active phases were synthesized by sol-gel method. Different from precipitation, solid-state reaction or spray drying, this method is based on the addition of an organic complexation agent (here citric acid) into the precursors. The presence of the organic complexation agent distinguishes this complexation method from the other methods owing to the complexation and gelation steps. These steps are influenced mainly by the atomic ratio of citric acid to metal cations and pH of the solution. Sol-gel method leads to the formation of very pure and homogeneous catalyst powders exhibiting high surface area. Different salts of Mn(NO3)2, Cu(NO3)2×6H2O, Ce(NO3)3×6H2O, Bi(NO3)2×4H2O were dissolved in water in order to obtain the solution with the concentration of 0.125M. 10%wt. citric acid solutions prepared from citric acid monohydrate – C6H8O7×H2O.

MnO2-Bi2O3-CuO-CeO2 catalyst was synthesized by dropping a suitable amount of Cu(NO3)2, Bi(NO3)3 and Ce(NO3)3 solutions into a suitable volume of Mn(NO3)2 solution corresponding to different MnO2/Bi2O3/CuO/CeO2 molar ratios. If precipitation occurred, concentrated HNO3 solution was added until the precipitates disappear. A suitable amount of citric acid solution was dropped into the obtained solution with the molar ratio of citric to metals of 2. The obtained solution was stabled within 30 minutes and evaporated at 70–80ºC until the gel was obtained. The gel was then dried at 110ºC for 3 hours. The obtained solid were calcinated at 550ºC for 3 hours with the heating rate is 3ºC/min.

Single metallic oxides, bi-metallic oxides, other triple metallic oxides and tetra metallic oxides were synthesized similarly. The catalysts were characterized by some techniques, such as: X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), BET for detemining specific surface area, Xray Photoelectron Spectrocopy (XPS), TG-DTA, TG-DSC, Infrared Spectrocopy (IR). Catalysis activity of the catalysts were examinied in a micro reactor set up.

The IR spectra of ammonia adsorbed on the catalysts show the bands at 1594 and 1165 cm–1, which attributed to σas and σs model of NH3 coordinated to Lewis acid sites. Another two bands at 1674 and 1445 cm–1 are attributed to σs NH4+ and σas NH4+ resulting from ammonia coordinated to Brønsted acid sites [2]. It is indicated by the increase in intensity of band at 1165 cm–1 that more Lewis acid sites are generated on Mn/Bi/Cu/Ce-oxide by introduction of Cex+ which can also serve as Lewis acid sites. Comparison of IR spectra from catalyst treated with 1000 ppm NO, 1000 ppm NO2, and 1000 ppm NO + 2% O2 shows the five bands at 1610, 1550, 1466, 1291, and 1030 cm–1. The bands at 1550, 1291, and 1030 cm–1 can be assigned to bidentate nitrate; the band at 1466 cm–1 can be attributed to the monodentate nitrite [3]. The mechanism proposed for N2O generation at low temperature is based on the formation of surface Ce-ON species which may be produced by the partial oxidation of dissociatively adsorbed ammonia species with NO + O2 (eventually NO2) [4]. When these active sites are in close proximity they can interact to form an N2O molecule.

[1] N.Yu. Masalitina, A.S. Savenkov, O.N. Bliznjuk, A.N. Ogurtsov, Chem. Ind. Ukr. 5 (2014) 24.

[2] W.U. Xiaodong, S.I. Zhichun, L.I. Guo, W. Duan, J. Rare Earth 29 (2011) 64.

[3] G. Qi, R.T. Yang, J. Phys. Chem. B 108 (2004) 15738.

[4] J.A. Martin, M. Yates, P. Avila, S. Suares, J. Blanco, Appl. Catal. B Environ. 70 (2007) 330.